Numbers 23:10

Numbers 23:10 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!
• New International Version (NIV)Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Who can count the dust of Jacob or number the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the upright, and let my end be like his!"
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my end be like his!”

Context of Numbers 23:10

8How shall I curse those whom God has not cursed? Or how can I [violently] denounce those the Lord has not denounced? 9For from the top of the rocks I see Israel, And from the hills I look at him. Behold, the people [of Israel] shall dwell alone And will not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust (the descendants) of Jacob And the number of even the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God], And let my end be like his!” 11Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but here you have [thoroughly] blessed them instead!” 12Balaam answered, “Must I not be obedient and careful to speak what the Lord has put in my mouth?”

Numbers 23:10 word by word

מִ֤י מָנָה֙ עֲפַ֣ר יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּמִסְפָּ֖ר אֶת־רֹ֣בַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל תָּמֹ֤ת נַפְשִׁי֙ מ֣וֹת יְשָׁרִ֔ים וּתְהִ֥י אַחֲרִיתִ֖י כָּמֹֽהוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Who can countמָנָהmânâh · to countH4487
• the dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
• and the numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
• of the fourthרֹ֫בַעrôba‛ · fourthH7255
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• Let me dieנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
• Let me dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• the deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• of the righteousיָשָׁרyâshâr · uprightH3477
• and let my lastאַחֲרִית'achărîyth · endH319

Cross-references for Numbers 23:10

• Genesis 13:16I will make your descendants [as numerous] as the dust of the earth, so that if a man could count the [grains of] dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted.
• Genesis 22:17indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies [by conquering them].
• Genesis 28:14Your descendants shall be as [countless as] the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and the east and the north and the south; and all the families (nations) of the earth shall be blessed through you and your descendants.
• Numbers 2:9The total of the numbered men [in the three tribes on the east side] in the camp of Judah was 186,400, by their armies. They shall move out first [on the march].
• Psalms 37:37Mark the blameless man [who is spiritually complete], and behold the upright [who walks in moral integrity]; There is a [good] future for the man of peace [because a life of honor blesses one’s descendants].
• Psalms 116:15Precious [and of great consequence] in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones [so He watches over them].
• Proverbs 14:32The wicked is overthrown through his wrongdoing, But the righteous has hope and confidence and a refuge [with God] even in death.
• Isaiah 57:1The righteous man perishes [at the hand of evil], and no one takes it to heart; Faithful and devout men are taken away, while no one understands That the righteous person is taken away [to be spared] from disaster and evil.
• Luke 2:29“Now, Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to leave [this world] in peace, According to Your word;
• 1 Corinthians 3:21So let no one boast in men [about their wisdom, or of having this or that one as a leader]. For all things are yours,
• 1 Corinthians 15:53For this perishable [part of us] must put on the imperishable [nature], and this mortal [part of us that is capable of dying] must put on immortality [which is freedom from death].
• 2 Corinthians 5:1For we know that if the earthly tent [our physical body] which is our house is torn down [through death], we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
• Philippians 1:21For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity].
• 2 Timothy 4:6For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure [from this world] is at hand and I will soon go free.
• 2 Peter 1:13I think it right, as long as I am in this earthly tent, to inspire you by reminding you,
• Revelation 14:13Then I heard [the distinct words of] a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ” “Yes, [blessed indeed],” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest and have relief from their labors, for their deeds do follow them.”

Commentaries on Numbers 23:10

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Let me die the death of the righteous - Probably Balaam had some presentiment that he should be taken off by a premature death, and therefore he lodges this petition against it. The death of the righteous in those times implied being gathered to one's fathers in a good old age, having seen his children, and children's children; and to this, probably, the latter part of this petition applies: And let my last end be like his, (כמהו אחריתי ותהי uthehi…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10The fourth part of Israel - i. e., each one of the four camps, into which the host of Israel was divided (see Genesis 13:16; Genesis 28:14. The righteous - i. e., the ancestors of Israel, who “died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off” Hebrews 11:13. With their histories Balaam was familiar, particularly with that of Abraham, “the righteous man” whom God had “raised up from the east (and) called to His foot” Isaiah…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-10In his first message from God, Balaam reviewed why he had come to Moab (23:5, 16). He explained how Balak had called him. He also stressed that God had a special relationship with Israel. Balaam made clear that he could not harm Israel because God was protecting them. These messages are written as poetry. Hebrew poetry often uses parallelism. Parallelism places two similar lines together. The second line repeats or strengthens the first line in a clear…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1010. Who can count the dust of Jacob?--an Oriental hyperbole for a very populous nation, as Jacob's posterity was promised to be (Ge 13:16; 28:14). the number of the fourth part of Israel--that is, the camp consisted of four divisions; every one of these parts was formidable in numbers. Let me die the death of the righteous--Hebrew, "of Jeshurun"; or, the Israelites. The meaning is: they are a people happy, above all others, not only in life, but at death…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 23:10

• Death

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Jacob
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Fourth Part
• Count
• Abel-Shittim
• Balaam
• Balak
• Bless

Commentaries on Numbers 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings